Empire star responds to doubters after attack

Empire star Jussie Smollett has given a TV interview following an attack reported in Chicago.

But media reports have doubted elements of the story.

Chicago law enforcement have not been able to find proper surveillance footage of the attackers, though police did release photos of two persons of interest, who have yet to be identified.

Speaking to Good Morning America, Smollett said he saw the camera during the attack, but it was pointed the other way.

Smollett was allegedly on the phone with his music manager at the time the attack occurred — however, Smollett has refused to hand over his complete phone records to the police, which has given doubters ammunition for negative chatter on social media. Earlier this week, Smollett submitted phone records from within the hour of the early morning attack, but Chicago law enforcement said the records were “limited and heavily redacted.”

“I‘m sorry but I’m not going to do that,” Smollett said on the morning show about turning his phone over. “I have private pictures and videos and numbers. My partner’s number, my family’s numbers, my cast mates’ numbers, my friends’ numbers, my private emails, my songs.”

According to a statement released by the Chicago Police Department following the incident, Smollett was beaten by two men who approached him by yelling out “racial and homophobic slurs” at approximately 2 a.m. and proceeded to assault Smollett and “poured an unknown chemical substance” on him. The two men are said to have put a rope around Smollett’s neck before fleeing, and then Smollett transported himself to a hospital.

Source: Variety